On Tuesday, the Antioch City Council will discuss several items from sideshow spectators to funding its water park improvements and investing in traffic calming measures. The council will also discuss cottage communities.
Here is a quick rundown of several items for Tuesday.
Discussion of Maintenance Needs and Capital Project Funding at the Antioch Water Park
The Antioch Water Park opened in 1996 and is one of the largest municipally operated water parks in the East Bay. However, many components of the Water Park are in their original condition and/or have reached the end of their useful life. The cost for replacement of most of these components is not currently budgeted.
During the 2023 General Admission Season, various pools and slides were periodically closed, sometimes for extended periods of time due to safety and/or code compliance concerns. As a result, overall park visits declined by 9.8% compared to the 2022 season and revenue declined by 28.4%. Revenue declines were exacerbated by the need to cancel private rentals (or buyouts), which typically generate net positive revenue.
The fiscal impact of the proposed unfunded projects to be addressed in FY 2023-24 is $1,485,000. The fiscal impact of the proposed engineering evaluation is $50,000. The fiscal impact of the proposed Water Park Replacement Fund will be $200,000 annually beginning in FY 2023-24. The total fiscal impact of all proposals is $1,735,000 for Fiscal Year 2023-24 and $200,000 for Fiscal Year 2024-25. Additional impacts will be shared with Council once more information is obtained. The fiscal impacts are further detailed below.
Staff is seeking direction from Council to fund items in Tables 1 and 2, the engineering evaluation, and the future capital fund. This will result in a fiscal impact of $1,735,000 for Fiscal Year 2023-24 and $200,000 for Fiscal Year 2024-25. Upon completion of the engineering evaluation, staff will return with the results along with an additional funding request, which will include the current known costs of $755,000 for the Sport Pool.
Funding for Traffic Calming Improvements on James Donlon Blvd & W 10th Street
The City staff is recommending the council adopt a resolution to approve reallocating funding in the amount of $1.085 million from the Streetlight Improvement Project in the Gas Tax Fund. This will allow the safety improvements to occur in 2024.
The improvements suggested to not include any permanent infrastructure so the city can “try the improvements first” and then allow for flexibility for future modifications if needed.
Discussion Item: Review and Consideration of City Ordinance Prohibiting Spectators at Illegal Motor Vehicle Speed Contests, Exhibitions of Speed, and Sideshows
This is a follow up from its Oct 24 meeting where the council directed staff to work on an ordinance that addresses spectators who attend sideshows. The proposed ordinance would hold spectators accountable and prohibit them from being within 200 feet of sideshow or speed racing events.
The Ordinance’s definition of a by-stander or spectator could apply to those who are found within 200 feet of the location of a sideshow, street race, or the site of the preparations for these activities, for the purpose of viewing, observing, watching, or witnessing the event as it progresses.
Any person who violates this chapter is guilty of a misdemeanor subject to a maximum of six (6) months in jail, a fine of $1,000, or both, unless at the discretion of the district attorney or a court of competent jurisdiction, the violation is reduced to an infraction. The City may seek compliance with this chapter by any remedy allowed under this code and any other remedy allowed by law, including but not limited to the administrative citation procedures set forth in Antioch Municipal Code § 1-5. The amount of the administrative fine is $1,000 for each violation.
Antioch is using sideshow ordinances in the City of Pittsburg, City of Oakland, and City of San Jose as guides.
Antioch to Talk “Innovative Housing” and Accessory Dwelling Units
On Tuesday, the Antioch City Council will discuss creating an innovative housing overlay district and accessory dwelling units. The council will ultimately look to amend its municipal code allowing them to rezone either 31 or 33 parcels at 26 sites according to the agenda—in an effort to create the ability for an application for a “cottage community” to be submitted. — see full story
Antioch City Council Agenda
Date: Tuesday, November 14, 2023
7:00 P.M. – Regular Meeting
Place: Council Chambers
200 ‘H’ Street Antioch, CA 94509
Agenda – click here
6 comments
First of all they need to sell the park. The city shouldn’t put any lipstick on this pig. Dump it. Secondly Walker should come out and testify on sideshows. I believe she has first hand knowledge on this as a bystander. Then except the fine that should be imposed on her for attending the sideshow. And thirdly, these churches better think twice about this. Just look at 18th street and what a sespool it has become.
What they should do is ask the city attorney why the officers being investigated for non-criminal texts that they had all of the evidence ahead of time are
Still off 8 months into this.
Some will be fired sure but not all. Let’s get them back to work Vs. Paying them to be at home. That’s no punishment
Thorpe is waiting until one of these idiots gets killed and sues the City. Nobody respects their “boss” in Antioch and these losers know they can get away with it.
It’s funny how the mayor is asking for all this funding and the fact there wanting to crack down on street racing. The council members only think these laws should apply to everyone else but them and their family. Like the fact the mayor is making as much money as he does and the city council members keep getting raises and are not made to follow laws. Like there kids can ride motor bikes in the street and run from police and they can drink and drive. I personally have seen mayor in bars drinking for hours and than get in his car.
The Antioch water park was already a controversy at its inception. Antioch made the decision to build the park after getting several warnings for other cities with water parks not to do so, this information was solicited by the Antioch city Council. Second, They asked the contractor that would build the park how much it cost to maintain and run one, and of course they gave a very optimistic assessment. After Antioch built the park, they quickly learned that the contractor furnished them with completely B.S. information about the operational costs.
What has come to pass is exactly what Antioch was warned about in 1996. The park needs to be torn down, the land sold for development, it has outlived its usefulness.
Sideshows… Passing more ordinances is just making feel good laws, they are not enforceable without a fully staffed, and functional police department. How many existing laws are already being ignored by sideshow participants? Yeah, let’s pass some more, that will make it better.
Why is Thorpe still the mayor with 2 DUI’s while in office? He’s irresponsible outside the office and just as irresponsible in the office by the way the city is right now. I live downtown near police station and we hear gun shots and burn outs regularly. RV’s and tents along the waterfront near us and took them weeks to remove them. We pay local taxes for our property and these RVs park anywhere. Thugs everywhere. No police presence, hire police and hire new mayor. Thorpe is a disgrace, where does he reside in Antioch. . . I’m guessing no way near downtown or he would do something
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